I've been lurking for a little while and wanted to take a moment to introduce myself.
I'm a 36 year old mom of 4 (ages 16 to 5). We live out in the country on a few acres and have a little hobby farm. I've always been a relatively active person, my kids are all lean and healthy (we'll discuss my hubby another day).
I've always been a whole foods sort of person and shop at our local farmers market whenever I can and buy what organic dairy and meats that I can. When I was a kid my mother didn't make anything that didn't come in a box or a can so I can't stand any of that stuff. No Hamburger Helper here. Ever. My kids eat their veggies and are used to homemade snacks and baked goods. We live on a mountain above a lake so hiking and fishing are regular activities.
I'm tall, 5' 10, and have always been "thin". I gain a good bit of weight when I'm pregnant but always lose it relatively quickly. I've never counted a calorie or even owned a scale. I figured that as long as my clothes still fit I was fine. My eating habits and lifestyle have always been enough to keep me in decent shape but I've found that as I get older its not enough anymore. I'm no longer chasing toddlers around all day, the kids are old enough to do a lot of the chores I used to do on my own, and I also spend a lot more time sitting in front of the computer now because I have my own design business and work at home. I'm still not "big" but I'm fat-skinny. I wear a small size but I carry ALOT of fat and cellulite on my arse and thighs and I have a squishy belly for the first time in my life. I know I'm also not as strong as I used to be.... I can still toss hay bales but I pay for it the next day.
Anyway... I've never done a diet or a planned workout and have really avoided the whole thing because I hate cliche consumer crap. I did buy an elliptical after my last little one was born because she was born going into winter and I was bored and restless feeling like I couldn't go out and walk and burn off some energy. I used it for a while, sort of half-heartedly, but spring came around the elliptical was left to collect dust. I dusted it off recently and have been using it 3 or 4 days a week but with no real direction. I was enjoying the idea of "working out" but didn't really know what to do. There's no gym near us and I just don't want to feel like one of the lemmings that jump on every new diet/workout plan that comes along.
I know I sound like your average 30-something house wife but bear with me a moment longer... I'm a rough and tumble country girl through and through. I grew up playing football with the local boys, can kill a snake with a shovel, would rather hike than go to the mall, and the only boots I own are water-proof and heavy treaded. My best days are the ones that end dirty and sweaty. I'd die in an office. I hate yoga. But weight lifting sounded like my sort of thing.
All of this lead to me doing a lot of reading on diet and exercise and the long and short of it is that I ended up buying NROL4W and FLT and here I am. I have taken over half of our garage with my weights and mats and swiss ball (the other half of the garage houses our tractor, we park our vehicles outside). My plan is to work through FLT to lose a good bit of fat and get a start and then move to NROL4W. I've been taking some time to understand the diet plan and make myself some meal plans on Crosstrainer.com. (I love to track things!) I happen to have a digital postal scale here at home that I use for work so measuring food is easy. I've gone through the exercises to make sure I understand what I'm doing and I've done a lot of reading here on the message board.
I really didn't plan on posting to the board and was just going to read and lurk but I'm finding that I've got no support from my friends and in fact most of them are being really snarky. They say "oh, yea, right.... like you're really fat" and "what do you need to lose weight for?" and if I even mention weight lifting they look at me lie I'm from Mars. I'm sick of people telling me that just because I wear a certain size jeans I'm in good shape... because I'm not! I have very little muscle tone, loose flab, and cellulite and I'm not happy with my appearance. Since we live in the country I used to run around my own yard practically naked (when the kids were little)... now I don't even like to be naked in front of my husband. Its time for some improvement even if my friends don't get it.
Along with the weights and whatnot I bought a scale... I weigh 150 and am 5' 10. I have a hard time with things like the BMI charts because according to that I'm in the "good" zone but I know I'm not. Please don't think I'm one of those skinny girls that is on the verge of an eating disorder.... I really do carry a lot of fat.
I'll be "officially" starting FLT on Monday. My only issue right now is trying to keep my macros right. I've found that I eat alot of carbs... mostly veggies but still carbs... and I'm having a hard time getting enough protein without pushing my carbs over. I'm also trying to get the pre and post workout stuff figured properly.
I would like a little input on one thing... I've had 2 major surgeries in my life, both were years ago but I wonder if the fact that both required cutting through some major muscles with make it harder for me to tone and build muscle in those areas later. One was a vertical cut from my belly button to my pubic bone (had a tumor and part of my colon removed, not malignant) and the other was a vertical cut along my lower spine to remove a calcified piece of a herniated disc (worst pain of my life even after 4 all natural non-medicated births).
Thanks for reading my rambling intro. I've found more info here on this board than I ever could have imagined. NROL4W and FLT just make so much sense. Granted... I'm just getting started and don't really know what I'm talking about. I'm about as newbie as it gets with diet and exercise but I'm going to give it a go and see what happens. I want my tough girl look and feel back... I'm not ready to be old and soft.
Might recommend some efforts to figure your body far percentage (maybe height weight and measurements, or maybe one of those electrical impedence thingies, or have someone do a caliper check), just to put a number how how skinny, far, or skinny fat you are.
It also sounds like you might have the most fun if you start on a lifting program promptly, rather than focusing on dieting down weight.
Worrying about macros isn't necessary. It is best to figure how much to eat based on total calories, protein, fat and carbs as per your target weight, than to artificially change calories to fit a magic macro number.
Also, it seems like you might benefit from seeing a physical therapist or someone else qualified who can give you the go ahead on what is good and safe for your lower back.
You might seriously benefit from some core work, once you can do it safely.
Keep posting, keep doing what you started and welcome
Also, it seems like you might benefit from seeing a physical therapist or someone else qualified who can give you the go ahead on what is good and safe for your lower back.
I was cleared a long time ago. I did McKenzie Method training with a phys therapist for a while but there wasn't much else they could do for me. I was encouraged to continue with what I was doing and to work my up to whatever activity I was comfortable with. There's nothing "wrong" with me... the damage was from an old injury.
I really would like to figure out what a good goal weight is for me but all the generic charts for height/weight/bmi don't seem to be a good fit. I'm built way taller and lankier than the average so I'm not sure what to do. I'm not really even concerned with a certain size or weight number, I'd just like to be leaner and stronger. I wouldn't even mind getting bigger than I am... just with muscle rather than a thicker layer of fat :-)
Welcome to the forums MG. I'm glad you came out of hiding and decided to jump in.
I understand about snarky friends. I see it in my clients and even when I myself need to make changes. I think that people are just really insecure and they feel threatened by people who are actively working on themselves. Like when a drinker quits, and all of his old drinking friends mock him for it. You've found the right place with us though. This (for the most part) is a very supportive forum.
Regarding your back surgery.... Did they have to do any dissection of the muscle to get to that piece of bone? Sometimes they can get to that stuff and remove it without too much "cobbing" (the scoop shaped scraper they use to separate muscle from bone). They didn't do anything to the disc? No rods and screws in your back?
I think if you start on a regular exercise and diet program, you will definitely see improvements in your body composition. For now, just enjoy the new lifestyle and let some fat come off you naturally. Worrying about how much you should be is not going to do you much good. You could find someone to measure your body fat and see how much is realistic to lose
Start a training log if you already haven't done that to get ongoing support and enjoy the forums
I'm fat, too!
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